E-Scum Gong Chapter 1
Translator's Note: Hello! Please pay attention to the following:
1. MC is so handsome that almost everyone falls for him.
2. ML is a silly and immature peacock.
3. Their relationship started off with mutual deception.
4. Age gap!
5. Some colorism, though may not be severe, can still be off-putting.
If any of these points ticks your pet peeves, I suggest chucking this off your reading list. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!!
Translated by Q the Panda (ko-fi)
Chapter 1
In the men’s restroom of the Longteng Internet Café, a boy in a black T-shirt stood wearing a baseball cap. Smoke swirled to his left hand, while his right hand deftly fiddled with his phone. His fingers were long and slender, his knuckles well-defined. Occasionally, the corners of his lips would curve into a smirk.
He was tall and slim, appearing no more than eighteen or nineteen years old. At first glance, he gave off a bit of a delinquent vibe.
Suddenly, the glint of interest in the boy’s eyes turned into confusion. The cigarette in his grasp slipped, burning his fingers as it fell to the ground, leaving a slight redness.
Lin Xu instinctively looked at his hand, now smeared with ashes. He put away his phone with a frown and washed his hands out of habit. As he unintentionally caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror, his body froze. Something unscientific seemed to have happened to him.
The boy in the mirror looked no different from how Lin Xu had looked when he was young, with a touch of innocence in his features. But Lin Xu knew this wasn't him.
When he was young, he wouldn’t have been found wearing ripped jeans and hiding in a restroom to smoke.
In his past life, Lin Xu had always stayed in the ivory tower. After completing his studies, he remained at a research institute, day in and day out, working on his field of interest. In reality, he had died suddenly due to overwork.
Now, he wasn’t sure who he had become. Only fragments occasionally floated through his mind, perhaps memories of the original Lin Xu, though they were scattered.
Lin Xu roughly realized that the original Lin Xu was a senior in high school, seemingly still in a rebellious phase. He didn’t quite understand the scenes in his memories.
While he was deep in thought, another person walked in. He looked to be about the same age as the original Lin Xu.
It turned out they knew each other.
“Lin-ge, you’re really addicted to smoking, huh? Smoke less, or your grandparents will smell it when you get home.” The other boy wrinkled his nose and waved away the scent, then threw an arm around Lin Xu.
“The guys said they’re a bit hungry. Want to go out and get something to eat?” Mao Jun pulled Lin Xu along as he spoke.
Lin Xu stiffened. He wasn’t used to being touched, but he still followed along.
As they walked out, Lin Xu realized they were in an internet café. He had never been to one before, so he found the sight of a bunch of internet-addicted teens somewhat jarring.
These were friends of the original Lin Xu. When they saw Lin Xu and Mao Jun approaching, they grabbed their jackets, got up in groups, and noisily headed out.
“We’ve been waiting for ages,” they complained.
Lin Xu glanced at them, muttered a low apology, and picked up his shoulder bag.
Although the others found his behavior strange today, they didn’t think much of it. They just debated whether to have barbecue or hot pot. Lin Xu didn’t really listen. He still felt a bit dazed from just having transmigrated.
His thoughts were interrupted by a soft, fair hand. A girl with delicate makeup, who was at the back of the group, patted his shoulder and spoke flirtatiously, “Although the way you smoke is quite cool, I really don’t like the smell.”
This habit was something the original Lin Xu had picked up from the group. However, the girl’s comment was somewhat unfair. In reality, Lin Xu only had a faint tobacco scent, which wasn’t unpleasant at all.
The main issue was that, although the girl hung out with them, she preferred the kind of academic overachiever who was out of her reach.
Having seen a lot, Lin Xu understood that for boys their age, smoking, fighting, and skipping classes were effortless ways to rebel. Lin Xu's only distinguishing feature was his better looks.
To his shame, due to his personality, Lin Xu had never dated in his past life. He had a bit of social phobia, which stemmed from his habit of being alone for long periods. Thus, he was not very good at interacting with others.
He never experienced a crush, so he never took the initiative to pursue someone. He had been pursued before, but it was during his school years, and the timing was off, so he politely declined. Later, he was too busy with research, leaving not much opportunities for romance.
After that, it seemed like no girls approached him.
Overall, Lin Xu felt he wasn’t as desirable as some of his friends who were more experienced in relationships and had better luck with the opposite sex.
He shifted uncomfortably, thinking his scent might have bothered the girl, so he kept a respectful distance from Yang Zixuan. The original Lin Xu seemed to have some interest in her and was usually proactive.
However, Lin Xu neither liked her nor wanted an early romance. He certainly didn’t want to cause trouble for her.
Despite having the soul of someone in their twenties, Lin Xu thought it best to adhere to high school rules. He was very familiar with how to be a good student.
As they passed the area where the internet café manager registered customers, Lin Xu followed at the back while the manager casually chatted with the boys.
“I heard one of you attends the affiliated high school?” The manager’s tone was one of disbelief. He knew these boys well. Most were regulars from the nearby vocational school.
Jiang University Affiliated High School was one of the four most prestigious schools in Jiang City. It seemed inconceivable that any of them could be associated with it.
The boy chuckled and called out, "Lin Xu, come here." His gaze swept to the back where Lin Xu was walking, then pulled him forward.
With a hint of pride, the boy pointed at Lin Xu and said, "My buddy here is from Jiang University Affiliated High School, and he's in the international class."
In the past, when the original Lin Xu was shown off like this, he felt annoyed and resistant. He even avoided wearing his school uniform when going out, thinking it was embarrassing.
This was because, in the international class, the original Lin Xu was a complete underachiever, labeled a troublemaker by teachers and considered a dropout candidate. Moreover, compared to the well-off backgrounds of his classmates, his family was quite ordinary, just lower middle-class. His parents had worked hard to get him into the school.
This stark contrast might have been the reason why the original Lin Xu gradually fell into decline.
Lin Xu, however, merely nodded calmly, as if accustomed to such situations.
Lin Xu’s own family background wasn’t poor. In his previous life, he had always attended the best schools in the capital, both in high school and university. Even after studying abroad, he chose to return to China for research. Only his strong social phobia remained constant.
Now, he only felt uncomfortable being the focus of everyone's attention, though he unknowingly projected an air of aloofness.
“Oh, wow, that’s impressive! It's good to balance work and fun!”
The internet café manager wasn’t entirely sure if Jiang University Affiliated High School had an international class. He was a bit skeptical but still offered flattering words.
In Jiang City, the academic atmosphere was intense. Every year, the college entrance exams were fiercely competitive. Regardless of their educational background, everyone, from the elderly to children, knew that studying was the best path.
Perhaps finding Lin Xu too pretentious, the boy couldn't help but snicker, but he refrained from saying more out of consideration for Lin Xu.
They had been hanging out with Lin Xu for more than half a year and knew his true nature well. He was adept at slacking off, just like them, a puddle of mud, far from the typical image of a top student at Jiang University Affiliated High School.
After leaving the internet café, someone joked, “Come on, top student, what do you want to eat?”
“Are you treating us today? The top student has been quite generous lately~”
Lin Xu recalled that the original Lin Xu had been spending money lavishly recently, as if he had come into some unexpected fortune. However, within just a few days, he had already spent most of it on eating, drinking, and having fun.
He felt like something important flashed through his mind, but he couldn’t quite grasp it.
Lin Xu checked his watch, then took off his cap, revealing his handsome face. To be honest, he looked very much like the nerdy protagonist in a youth drama, with sharp eyebrows, clear eyes, and fair skin. In short, he looked pure.
He put the cap into his backpack and took out his school uniform. Since it was a weekday and the lunch break was almost over, he had to return to school for his afternoon classes. He even felt that the hair behind his ears was getting a bit too long.
When he was in high school, his hair was incredibly short.
“Sorry, I have to go back to school. I have classes in the afternoon.”
Dressed in his blue and white school uniform, Lin Xu suddenly seemed worlds apart from the other boys. The uniform itself commanded respect, giving him an aura of cool, moonlit elegance in the eyes of others.
In truth, some of them felt a bit jealous that Lin Xu could attend such a prestigious school.
But remembering that Lin Xu was also a lazy slacker, they felt more at ease. They were all the same, which was why they could hang out together.
Seeing Lin Xu like this, Yang Zixuan's eyes lit up. She glanced at him several times and couldn’t help but praise, “Lin Xu, you look really good in your school uniform. You look just like my idol.”
Lin Xu bore a slight resemblance to a rookie actor in the entertainment industry, who had skyrocketed to fame after starring in a youth drama. However, that actor had some obvious cosmetic enhancements. In terms of pure looks, Lin Xu was even more outstanding. His demeanor, though, couldn't compare.
That rookie actor was famous for perfectly embodying the role of a male lead in a youth drama.
“Tch, just skin-deep. It's not like he's any different inside,” someone muttered under their breath.
Because of Lin Xu’s refusal, the group looked somewhat displeased. “Why did you suddenly decide to go to class today? Didn’t you always skip before?”
They also noticed that Lin Xu was unusually quiet today, and the moment he opened his mouth to speak, it was to say something disappointing.
Mao Jun, who was rather carefree, sensed the awkward atmosphere and tried to smooth things over. “Let’s just leave it for today then. I have something to do too, so I’ll go with Lin-ge.”
He was the only one who called Lin Xu “Lin-ge” because he was a few months younger. The other boys, whether older or younger, were not close to him, so they just called him by his name directly.
Ultimately, it was all due to jealousy.
“If they don’t want to go, then fine. Let’s leave.” The group dispersed unhappily, making sarcastic remarks along the way.
Yang Zixuan also suddenly felt that hanging out with the group wasn’t much fun anymore, so she went home by herself.
Mao Jun stared wistfully at Yang Zixuan’s departing figure for a few seconds before catching up to Lin Xu.
“Lin-ge, are you really going back to class?” he asked.
Lin Xu felt somewhat close to him, considering Mao Jun one of the original Lin Xu’s few genuine friends.
“Hmm, you should go back to class too,” Lin Xu sincerely advised him.
Learning to indulge in pleasures at a young age was not a good habit.
Mao Jun felt a headache coming on at the thought of studying. He was more interested in other things. “Lin-ge, didn’t you just start dating someone? Do you still like Yang Zixuan?”
While saying this, his ears turned a bit red, as he had recently started to like her.
Lin Xu was taken aback, his eyes showing confusion. Dating someone? Was there something he had forgotten?
“What, you don’t remember your online relationship?” Mao Jun explained, seemingly the only one Lin Xu had told.
Something flashed through his mind again.
The original Lin Xu, though a disliked delinquent in real life, was quite popular online.
In a certain gay dating group he belonged to, the original Lin Xu was the top-ranked 1, known for being mature, handsome, and a charming diamond bachelor. Especially famous for his sweet talk, all the 0s loved chatting with him.
So even though the original Lin Xu was as flirty as a butterfly, there were always people willing to pay for him.
His profile pictures had backgrounds of luxurious villas, which he claimed were part of his family’s real estate business.
If real estate sales count, his parents did sell houses in the capital. He also had an older brother who had followed in their footsteps into the sales business.
The original Lin Xu was a left-behind child in his hometown of Jiang City.
The background images were of the houses they sold, which were real and reliable. The original Lin Xu’s figure was photoshopped into them, often poorly done, making him look worse but definitely more mature, appearing at least twenty-five or older.
Of course, those pictures were sufficient. After all, there weren't many high-quality 1s in the circle, and anyone with half the original Lin Xu’s looks could make quite an impression.
In short, the original Lin Xu was an immature freeloader, aiming to hook rich men for pocket money.
In the small gay dating group, scattered with lonely souls (zeros) with no 1 to rely on, it was easy to manipulate people. Even a straight man, like the original Lin Xu, had forcibly became a 1.
Lin Xu wondered what the group members would think if they knew his true identity. For now, he was internally panicking, his brows furrowed so deep it could crushed a fly.
He never expected to transmigrate and find himself already in a relationship, with a man no less.
He could barely understand heterosexual relationships, and now he had to deal with homosexual relationships.
When it came to the subject of dating, Lin Xu was definitely failing. Sweet talk was beyond him. His most common responses in conversations were “Hmm” and “Okay.” Even he was ashamed in front of the original high schooler.
In contrast to the original Lin Xu, Lin Xu was indeed more pure, fitting the image of a high school student much better.
TL Note: Forgot to mention up top, but for those unfamiliar with chinese slangs, ‘0’ refers to the uke/bottom, while ‘1’ is referring to the seme/top.
